The next day, we sailed down the Volga into new territory for us. Nizhny Novgorod is a large city, formerly called Gorky, and a place of exile, where many famous dissident, including the scientist, Sakharov, were sent.

The steps up to the city centre

Recently opened to visitors, it is a fine town of elegant squares and buildings, many being repaired after years of neglect. There was a crisis, though. People had not exchanged enough dollars for roubles, and Nizhny’s banks had closed as they had run out of roubles! So there were a lot of frustrated shoppers in our group.

The Kremlin, Nizhny

Baroque church

Bridge across the Volga

View down to the ship

Elegant classical building